Intervention
by AlyB123
Summary: What if Tom showed up bleeding at Ressler's door instead of the random child's in 3.14? Ressler meets some of the characters in Red's world as he struggles between his loyalty to Liz and his belief that she is making a big mistake.
1. Chapter 1

Ressler fumbles with his keys as he attempts to balance a bag of takeout and his briefcase. He's looking forward to settling in on the couch with a beer or two and the Capitals game on ESPN. After the hectic pace of the last few months, a quiet evening is a welcome change.

As soon as he opens the door, the smell hits him. _Blood_. He drops the food and his briefcase and reaches for his gun. _Something_ _'_ _s not right._ He moves quietly through the dark foyer and living room. The smell is stronger as he approaches the kitchen. He flips on the light, and quickly ducks behind the wall, waiting for the ambush. _Nothing_. He peers around the corner, carefully, and immediately sees bloody footprints on the floor, and a bloody handprint on the fridge. The window to the fire escape is ajar, with blood on the sill. Gun in hand, he tiptoes down the hall, following a trail of bloody footprints towards the bathroom. From the doorway, he can see the medicine chest, wide open, and blood leading into the bathtub. The shower curtain is drawn – not open like he normally leaves it. Behind the curtain, a shadow hovers.

"Freeze! FBI!" he shouts from the doorway towards the closed curtain, his gun trained on the bathtub, his heart pounding.

"Don't shoot, it's me, Tom," a voice says weakly. The shadow slumps.

" _Keen?_ " Ressler asks, incredulously.

"Yeah," the voice says, with a cough.

Holstering his weapon, Ressler pulls back the curtain and stares in disbelief at the man lying before him in a pool of blood.

"What the hell...?"

"I had nowhere else to go," Tom says weakly.

Ressler can see immediately Keen is in bad shape. The questions and answers will have to wait. He kneels down to get a better look. "Where are you hit?"

"Leg, thigh." Tom gestures towards his right leg.

Ressler kneels and surveys the wound, loosening his tie as he does. "This is gonna hurt, but I gotta do it, ok?"

Tom nods and braces himself as Ressler uses his tie as a tourniquet. "Aaaaah! Go easy there, would you?"

Ressler shakes his head. He remembers all too well his own experience in the box with Reddington. "Can't have you bleed out. Sorry. Look, I don't know what you've done or why you're here, but I gotta call 911. You're in bad shape."

"No," Tom whispers. "No ambulance, no hospital. I'm a dead man if you take me in."

"You're a dead man if I don't. Look…Keen…"

"Remember how you told me you trusted the wrong person?" Tom's face is growing paler by the second.

"Yeah, at the cabin. I remember, but…"

Tom cuts him off. "Well I did the same thing. Tell Liz I'm sorry."

"You can tell her yourself." Ressler looks at him sharply.

"Yeah. Look – I made a mistake. " Tom's voice is growing fainter.

Ressler can see Keen's fading fast. _Damn the man_. He can't let him die. Personal feelings aside, Liz would never forgive him. "Sorry, man. I got to call this in. Liz isn't going to appreciate it if I let you die."

Tom reaches up and grabs Ressler's wrist tightly. "No, " he croaks. Moments later his grip loosens as he slumps back, unconscious.

Ressler reaches for his phone, his other hand on Keen's pulse, which is growing fainter and fainter. His fingers hover over the screen, hesitating. Damn the sonofabitch. He should be dialing 911. He should be calling this in. After a few seconds, he curses under his breath and jabs his speed dial instead.

"Donald, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Ressler grimaces. He can only imagine Reddington's smug expression on the other end of the line. He grits his teeth. "Tom Keen. Showed up bleeding in my bathtub. Got in some kind of gun fight. Begged me not to call it in. But he's gonna bleed out."

"Don't call it in. I'll send my medical team." All trace of humor is gone from Reddington's voice. "Does Elizabeth know?"

"Not yet. She's my next call."

"Fine. But Donald?"

"What?"

"Don't let Tom Keen out of your sight. Mr. Kaplan will tell you where to go."

 _Mr. Kaplan_? Who the hell is that? He slides his phone back in his pocket. He'll call Liz once he knows where Reddington is sending them. No sense upsetting her until he has more information. He keeps his fingers on Keen's pulse, feeling for the beats. His pulse is thready, but he's hanging in there. _The guy has nine lives, that's for sure._

He will never understand why Liz keeps running back to Tom over and over. Whatever Tom has gotten himself into this time, it can't be good. He's sure of that much. He's not sure of much else, particularly why Keen broke into his apartment out of all the goddam apartments in the city.

Ten minutes later, he hears voices in the foyer. He gets up and walks out to the living room and finds two paramedics wheeling a gurney into the apartment under the watchful eye of a thin woman in a raincoat. He gestures towards the bathroom and turns towards the woman.

"Reddington said I would get instructions from a Mr. Kaplan. Is he here?" The woman nods and hands him a card with an address on it. She extends her hand, her handshake firm. "I am Kate Kaplan, Agent Ressler. My employer has instructed that Mr. Keen be taken to this address where we have medical personnel waiting."

Ressler blinks. _This is Mr. Kaplan?_ He looks down at the address on the card. Whatever the place is, it's not a hospital. He's sure of that much.

The woman speaks again, more softly. "Leave me your keys, dearie, I'll clean up here and meet you at the location to return them."

Ressler wordlessly digs his keys out of his pocket and hands them to Mr. Kaplan. _Mr._ Kaplan? This whole evening is getting stranger by the minute. But if he's learned anything in two years working in close proximity with Reddington, it's that sometimes it's better not to ask too many questions. The paramedics wheel the gurney back through the living room and Ressler follows it out of the apartment to the elevator. He glances back as he leaves the apartment and sees Mr. Kaplan pulling latex gloves out of her purse. _Bet that lady knows where all the bodies are buried._

He's surprised to see an actual ambulance parked outside. But this is Reddington, right? Of course he'd have regular paramedics on his payroll. He climbs in the back with the paramedics and the gurney. As the ambulance pulls away, he pulls out his phone and presses speed dial on his phone once more. Liz picks up on the second ring.

"Ressler? What's going on?" She sounds concerned. It's unusual for him to call her at all these days, much less this late. Things haven't exactly been the same between them recently. And especially not since she announced she was having Tom's kid.

"It's Tom," Ressler replies gruffly. "I came home and found he broke into my apartment and was bleeding in my bathroom."

"What? What happened? Is he going to be ok? Did you call an ambulance? Where is he now?" He can hear the panic in her voice.

"He begged me not to call anyone, Liz. Said he'd be a dead man if I did. But he needs medical attention. So I called Reddington. He sent paramedics. And some lady called Mr. Kaplan. He gave me an address - 422 Morgan. Probably some pop up ER like where you took him when he was shot."

"He sent Mr. Kaplan? What was Tom doing? Do you know?" He can hear the pitch of her voice rising.

He closes his eyes. He hates to be the one having to tell her this. "Yeah. I don't know much. He passed out after telling me he trusted the wrong person. Liz - you know I have tried to stay out of this. But this guy - he's bad news. I don't like this." He waits, and hears her breathing on the other end of the phone. But she's silent.

Finally, she responds. "I'm sorry he dragged you into this, Ressler. It's good Mr. Kaplan is there. She'll make sure nothing can be traced back to you. I'll meet you at the location." He can hear the tight control in her voice, the anger.

He licks his lips. "Don't worry about me. Worry about protecting yourself. And that kid."

He hangs up and contemplates the unconscious man in front of him. Whatever Keen has gotten himself into this time, he's up to no good. Of that he's certain. But Liz is carrying his child. And as much as that kills him, he's not eager to see the father of her child in jail. Or worse, dead. So for Liz's sake, he'll play along. _For now_.


	2. Chapter 2

The ambulance pulls up in front of a non-descript warehouse. The paramedics quickly open the back and pull out the gurney. Ressler follows behind them. As he enters the warehouse, medical personnel rush forward to meet the gurney and Keen disappears behind plastic sheeting into what he can only assume is a mobile operating room. _A Reddington special_.

Within seconds, he hears Reddington's gravelly voice behind him. "Donald. What did Tom Keen tell you?"

Ressler turns and stares at Reddington, who returns the stare, unblinking. He's not sure how much to trust the man, honestly, despite everything that's happened. His loyalties are to Liz, not to Reddington. It doesn't feel right to be talking to him about Tom without her there. But the little he knows, he's already shared with her and there's not much to say, anyway.

"I don't know much. He passed out before he could explain. All he said is that he trusted the wrong person, and to tell Liz he's sorry."

Reddington purses his lips, nods, and picks up his hat. "I assume Elizabeth is on her way?" Ressler nods. "Very well. But Donald – as I cautioned you earlier – do not let Tom Keen out of your sight. At least not until I return. Do I have your word?"

Ressler nods again. He can't imagine Keen trying to go anywhere anytime soon in his current condition. The relationship between Reddington and Tom Keen is another thing he can't begin to comprehend. The way Reddington is so protective towards Liz? He can't believe Tom Keen is still walking around. But that's another thing that's none of his business. In fact, he wishes desperately that none of this was his business right now. _Damn all Keens_.

He watches Reddington's fedora retreat and then turns his attention back to the operating room in front of him. He's no doctor, but he can sense the urgency as the medical personnel tend to Tom. Honestly, he's not sure whether to hope the guy makes it or not. He's been trying to keep his distance ever since Liz went back to him after her release. It's too hard to watch. Even if she still loves her ex – despite all of it, everything he's done to her - he can't help but feel she's making a huge mistake. _Baby or no baby._

Moments later, he senses her presence in the warehouse even before she's beside him.

"What's going on?" He can hear her breathing rapidly behind him.

"I don't know. He's in surgery from what I can tell. He lost a lot of blood. Reddington was here, but he left." He turns to look at her and sees her face pale and drawn with worry.

"Come on, Liz." He grabs her elbow gently and pulls her over to a nearby chair. She's got no business being on her feet looking like she does. And he has a feeling they will be waiting a while. Another chair materializes next to him and he looks up at one of Reddington's private security men and nods gratefully as he sits down next to her.

"Look, Liz – I don't know what Tom's been into. I couldn't ask him much given his condition. But whatever it is, you have to look out for _you_ – and your child."

She looks up at him, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes. "I know," she whispers. "He said he was trying to get a job – as a teacher again – to get us away from all of this…" she gestures with her hand, " away from…Reddington."

Ressler clenches his jaw, exasperated. "A teacher? Really, Liz? C'mon. The guy's got more aliases than you or I could ever figure out. He's done things you can't even begin to comprehend. What business does he have….."

He stops as he sees her face fall. This is not what she needs from him right now. He takes a deep breath. "Ok, ok. I'm sorry. I just … I just want you to be safe. That's all."

She buries her face in her hands. He hesitates for a moment, but then cautiously wraps an arm around her shoulders. She leans into his chest and he rubs her back gently as she cries. As he holds her, his anger towards Tom Keen only grows. _How dare he_. He hopes the man has a damn good explanation for tonight's events because right now, he'd like nothing more than to take him apart with his bare hands for causing Liz all this anguish.

She eventually stops crying but she doesn't pull away. He can hear the beeps and whirs of the machinery and various voices in the operating room. Finally, a doctor emerges from the plastic sheeting and peels off his mask. Liz finally lifts her head and he sees confused recognition on her face.

"Nik? What are you...how is he?"

The doctor, a tall man with olive skin and slightly greying temples, meets her gaze. "It was close. But I think he's going to make it. He nicked an artery but we were able to repair it." He turns to Ressler and extends his hand,

"Nik Korpal. And you are?"

"Donald Ressler. I take it you two know each other?" Ressler glances at Liz, who nods and then turns back to Nik.

"Nik - what are you doing here?"

The doctor sighs. "Reddington made me part of his medical team after you called me in to dig that bullet out of his chest last year. Tom tried to warn me - I should have listened."

Liz touches the doctor's arm. "I'm sorry Nik. I never meant for you to get dragged into this. Can I see him?"

The doctor nods but as Liz gets up he looks startled at the sight of her noticeably pregnant belly. "You're pregnant? Wow. I had no idea." She nods and disappears through the curtain, leaving Ressler alone with the doctor.

"You're Liz's partner, right? I saw you on the news when you were hunting her."

Ressler nods. Former partner. _But no need to point that out_.

The doctor continues, "When I saw her last year she and Tom didn't seem like they were...together. And then she was all over the news as a fugitive and now she's having a kid, huh?" The doctors shakes his head. "Hard to believe.""

"Yeah. Tell me about it." The words come out before he can stop himself.

The doctor snorts. "Well, Liz has always been full of surprises."

"Yeah." Ressler turns to look at the doctor. "How do you two know each other?"

"We were seeing each other a few years ago. Pretty seriously. But she turned down my marriage proposal after she met Tom."

Ressler shakes his head. _So she turned down the good doctor to take up with the spy_. Some things he will never understand.

"You here as FBI tonight? Or just a friend?" The doctor looks at him questioningly.

"Just a friend," Ressler responds, evenly. The doctor nods and turns away. "I'll be back to check on him shortly. He'll be knocked out for a while."

Ressler pushes through the plastic sheeting. Tom is intubated and hooked up to a whole bunch of machines. Liz is seated next to him, her hand over his. She looks up as he enters.

"You ok?" he asks. She nods and sighs. "I just wish I knew what happened."

"We'll get answers when he's awake, Liz." _I'll make sure of that_. He retreats back to his chair outside the plastic sheeted room. He leans back against the wall and closes his eyes. His stomach rumbles and he remembers his abandoned dinner. No hospital cafeteria here.

He must be imagining things but he could swear he smells Thai food. He opens his eyes and looks around and sees Mr. Kaplan striding briskly towards him, a plastic bag in hand.

"I took the liberty of replacing your dinner, Agent Ressler. Thought it might be a long night for you. Everything is in order at your apartment." She holds out the bag and his keys and he takes them gratefully.

"Thank you."

She nods and walks over to confer with one of Reddington's men. He peers in the bag and notices that there's plenty of food for two. He pushes his head through the plastic sheeting once more and Liz looks up, wearily.

"You hungry?" He holds up the bag. "Mr. Kaplan brought supplies."

She smiles faintly and nods and comes out to join him. He drags their chairs over to a makeshift table and he unloads the food. He studies her as she picks at her plate, dark circles under her eyes, paler than usual. Maybe just the strain of pregnancy, but still – something seems off.

"What's going on, Keen?" he asks softly. She looks up, startled, and looks down again just as quickly. She blinks rapidly as she stares at her plate. He reaches across the table and takes her hand. "Hey, Liz. It's me. C'mon. What's going on?"

"I wish I knew." She shakes her head. "One minute I feel like – I'm back with the man I married the first time, who I loved. And the next minute – it's like I don't know who he is anymore. I keep asking myself – is he lying to me again? Or telling the truth? I mean – he did so much that he didn't have to do. But then something like this….I just don't know what to believe and it's making me crazy."

He squeezes her hand. "I'm going to help you get answers, Liz. And if he's playing you again... I swear…" She smiles and returns the squeeze. "Thank you."


End file.
